Senior Congress leader V Narayanasamy on Monday called on lieutenant-Governor Kiran Bedi and staked his claim to form the next Government in Puducherry.

The newly-elected leader of the Congress legislature Party was accompanied by PCC chief A Namassivayam and DMK MlA A Siva.

Narayanasamy handed over to the lieutenant-Governor the letter electing him as the leader of the 15-member Congress legislature  Party and also the letter of support from the DMK. The Congress-DMK combine has 17 members in the 30-member Puducherry Assembly.

According to Raj Niwas sources, the Union Government has to approve the formal election of Narayanasamy before the lieutenant-Governor invites him to form the new Government. Namassivayam was the front-runner for the post of Chief Minister. The election of Narayanasamy as the leader of the legislature party has shocked a section of the MlAs and Namassivayam. It is being pointed out that Narayanasamy played his cards close to his chest and surprised all by getting himself elected as the ClP leader with the silent support of the Congress High Command.

There are reports that Namassivayam and his supporters are in touch with N Rangasamy, former Chief Minister and leader of the All India NR Congress which has eight members in the House. The Puducherry AIADMK  (four members) led by P Kannan,  himself a former Congress leader is also in confabulations with a section of disgruntled Congress MlAs though there may not be any major political developments in the Union Territory.